Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

Welcome to
BESS-Connect!

The latest updates from the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Sustainability programme

New BESS related publications

BESS researchers have been busy releasing the results from the programme’s findings in a range of journal articles.
A new paper from the Urban BESS team highlights their new evidence on the important role urban scavengers in UK cities. Their findings highlight how despite being unpopular with the public and land managers crows, magpies and foxes perform important functions in carcass removal in our urban spaces. You can read more here…Image from RSPCA.org.uk

Meanwhile have been testing an ecosystem mapping tool. They have performed a sensitivity analysis with the InVEST water yield model. They highlight how errors in the input data can have significant impacts on the model outputs. To read more on how well the modelled performed at different scales click here…
Another new journal article has identified research priorities for managing the impacts and dependencies of business upon food, energy, water and the environment. The paper in ‘Sustainability Science’ shows how collaboration between business and academia can identify the most urgent research priorities to ensure the sustainability of food, energy, water and the environment. Read more here…

A new Working Paper presents and analyses the perspectives of multiple stakeholders on the adoption in England of Biodiversity Offsetting, an instrument designed to enable biodiversity losses in one place to be compensated through conservation improvements in other nearby sites. The analysis reveals several doubts and challenges associated with social and ecological compensation of biodiversity loss.

Marine Ecosystem Services

A new website has been launched for the Cooperative Participatory Evaluation of Renewable Technologies on Ecosystem Services (CORPORATES) project. The project aims to to map out local marine ecosystem services for the Forth of Firth using different types of evidence, discuss their different and shared values and evaluate different scenarios to inform decisions.

Latest news from the NERC BESS programme
View this email in your browser (http://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=5cd76bc4872a9850c7a95db2a&id=666a9f30ab&e=[UNIQID])
http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** Upcoming Events

————————————————————
CECAN: Policy Evaluation For A Complex World (http://www.cecan.ac.uk/events/13th-september-london-cecan-event-policy-evaluation-for-a-complex-world)
If you are interested in the challenges of policy evaluation for a complex world you are invited to an event organised by CECAN (Centre for Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus)

At St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London
From 13:30 pm onwards on Tuesday 13th September 2016

Book via Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cecan-event-policy-evaluation-for-a-complex-world-tickets-25929621195) page.
For any queries contact: cecan@surrey.ac.uk

EKN Conference: Building Prosperous Cities The role of natural capital and green infrastructure

27th September 2016 9.30am – 5pm
City Hall, London

The conference will address questions such as: What is the added value of ‘natural capital’ and ‘green infrastructure’ for city-scale planning, design and management? How do we involve urban citizens and secure investment to enhance the green infrastructure required for prosperous cities?

Click here (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/255-ekn-conference-building-prosperous-cities-the-role-of-natural-capital-and-green-infrastructure) for more information and booking…

**
Sounds of the Dipper
————————————————————
have released a new ‘SOUNDWORK’ exploring the potential of Data Sonification using DNA coding as a basis for musical composition based on the Dipper. To listen to the composition created by John Howes click here… (https://soundcloud.com/howesaboutit/dipper)

** What is the best approach for managing urban meadows?
————————————————————
have produced some clear practical guidance addressing this question to maximise the human health and wellbeing benefits from meadows alongside improvements in other ecosystem services.

Their guidance advice can be downloaded here… (http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/partnerships/lwec/products/ppn/ppn32/)

** Facts at your fingertips…
————————————————————

Alastair Driver, Environment Agency National Biodiversity Manager, (https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/author/alistair-driver/) has shared his list of killer facts on the benefits of river and wetland restoration here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/documents/KILLER-FACTS-Multiple_benefits_of_river_and_wetland_restoration-Jun16.pdf)

** BESS data revealing new biodiversity insights
————————————————————
invertebrate samples from previously unsampled locations have started to reveal new insights into the distributions of invertebrates. Find out more here… (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/hidden-biodiversity-the-more-you-look-the-more-you-find/)

** Improving Salt Marsh Carbon Stock Measurements
————————————————————
have produced a free tool and mobile application for predicting and mapping carbon stock in salt marshes. The tool is for governmental and non-governmental organisations that have interests in salt marshes, but which lack information about natural carbon stores.

Find out more or download the app here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/265-new-cbess-launch-tool-and-app-for-assessing-carbon-stock-on-salt-marshes)

** Latest Publications
————————————————————
A new open access paper from Lynn Dicks assesses evidence for the effectiveness farming practices to enhance natural pest regulation, an important and valuable ecosystem service in agriculture. It highlights knowledge gaps, or potential research priorities, by showing practices considered important by stakeholders for which there is not enough evidence. Read more here… (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-016-1133-7/fulltext.html)

** New Initiatives Tackling Tree Health
————————————————————
Trees have significant impacts on rural and urban landscapes and contribute to our ecosystems, economy and wellbeing however, they are increasingly seen as being under threat from emerging pests and diseases. To read more about latest research initiatives addressing these issues visit the THAPBI – Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Initiative website here… (https://wiki.ceh.ac.uk/display/THAPBI/THAPBI+-+Tree+Health+and+Plant+Biosecurity+Initiative)

** Next Issue
————————————————————

BESS continues to synthesize the outputs from the all the programmes research.

Latest news from the NERC BESS programme
View this email in your browser (http://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=5cd76bc4872a9850c7a95db2a&id=08fd7bcdae&e=[UNIQID])
http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** Upcoming Events

————————————————————
EKN Conference: Building Prosperous Cities The role of natural capital and green infrastructure

27th September 2016 9.30am – 5pm
City Hall, London

The conference will address questions such as: What is the added value of ‘natural capital’ and ‘green infrastructure’ for city-scale planning, design and management? How do we involve urban citizens and secure investment to enhance the green infrastructure required for prosperous cities?

Click here (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/255-ekn-conference-building-prosperous-cities-the-role-of-natural-capital-and-green-infrastructure) for more information and booking…

** IPBES Seeks Expert Reviewers
————————————————————
Expert reviewers are currently being sought for the First Order Draft reviews of the IPBES thematic assessment on Land Degradation and Restoration (http://www.ipbes.net/work-programme/land-degradation-and-restoration) , and the four regional assessments on biodiversity and ecosystem services: Africa (http://www.ipbes.net/work-programme/africa-assessment) ; Americas (http://www.ipbes.net/work-programme/americas-assessment) ; Asia Pacific (http://www.ipbes.net/work-programme/asia-pacific-assessment) ; and, Europe and Central Asia (http://www.ipbes.net/work-programme/europe-and-central-asia-assessment) .

The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES) is a science-policy interface established to provide a robust evidence base, together with the necessary tools and local capacity, to help decision makers around the world identify solutions to pressures on global ecosystems and loss of biodiversity; thereby securing long term human wellbeing and sustainable development.

This requires a multi-disciplinary approach and, as such, experts are needed from a number of disciplines: natural science, social science, economics, data and modelling and traditional knowledge. The importance of thorough review by leading global experts, which many BESS participants are, is invaluable to ensuring that the work of IPBES is credible, relevant and legitimate.

Registration opened on 30 May and the review runs for six weeks to 11 July.

Please note that the first order drafts are confidential and, as such, the review process can take up to 48hrs. To develop a UK government view of the assessments it would be helpful (if they are happy to do so) for experts to copy their responses to the Stakeholder Hub (IPBES@jncc.gov.uk (mailto:IPBES@jncc.gov.uk) ).

The email sent to the UK IPBES stakeholder list managed by JNCC can be read here (https://nercbess.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/ipbes-call-for-experts-first-order-draft-expert-reviewers-for-thematic-assessment-on-land-degradation-and-restoration-and-the-four-regional-assessments-on-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services/) .
If you have any queries regarding the call and/or would like to be included in the UK IPBES stakeholder list to ensure you receive updates regarding IPBES, the UK IPBES Stakeholder Hub can be contacted at IPBES@jncc.gov.uk (mailto:IPBES@jncc.gov.uk)

For further details of the review, you can also visit the UK IPBES stakeholder engagement website (http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-5871) .

Latest news from the NERC BESS programme
View this email in your browser (http://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=5cd76bc4872a9850c7a95db2a&id=3390cd128c&e=[UNIQID])
http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** Upcoming Events

————————————————————
EKN Conference: Building Prosperous Cities The role of natural capital and green infrastructure

27th September 2016 9.30am – 5pm
City Hall, London

The conference will address questions such as: What is the added value of ‘natural capital’ and ‘green infrastructure’ for city-scale planning, design and management? How do we involve urban citizens and secure investment to enhance the green infrastructure required for prosperous cities?

Click here (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/255-ekn-conference-building-prosperous-cities-the-role-of-natural-capital-and-green-infrastructure) for more information and booking…

**
Future UK uplands
————————————————————
held their end of grant event at the Welsh Assembly Pierhead in Cardiff Bay during December to share their research findings key learned. This included a new video highlighting the options for our uplands futures. Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdDa8hcqKwg) to watch now…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdDa8hcqKwg

** Can we quantify the value of cultural services?
————————————————————
Ongoing experiments and analysis undertaken by BESS researchers is gathering new evidence on the cultural, health and well-being benefits that different ecosystems provide.

have carried out 550 interviews with the public to investigate their interactions with and preferences for our lowland agricultural landscapes. This includes understanding how they derive benefits from these places. The team are still collecting data on landscape preferences using an online mapping survey – take part by clicking here (http://www.ppgis.manchester.ac.uk/bess/) …

have been looking at the cultural services of saltmarshes for their study areas of Morecambe Bay and Essex estuaries. Using a mix of methods (choice experiments, ranking in questionnaires and interviews, interactive workshops and mapping) monetary and non-monetary benefits different stakeholders get from these environments are being investigated.
An interim finding is that 1.2 million hours of recreational activity per annum are associated with these coastal habitats in Essex alone. The team continue to explore their data to explain the interactions between ecology,society and the underpinning biodiversity. Read more here (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2016/04/22/university-of-st-andrews-cultural-ecosystem-services/) …
In a complementary project to BESS a University of York social scientist (Hannah Curzon) is developing novel methods to understand the social value of moorlands.

The Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve (NNR) in South Yorkshire is currently the focus of a major EU LIFE+ funded project (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/395664/humberhead-peatlands-leaflet.pdf) coordinated by Natural England to restore the peat bog. An assessment of the social impact of the restoration work will also be undertaken – partly through an online survey you can participate in here… (https://york.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ebXpX0I55Jcv3Df)

Urban BESS have produced an video overview highlighting their urban meadow experiments and what is being learned from the findings. Watch the video here… (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/meadow-plantings-the-video/)

** Biodiversity of pollinator effectiveness investigated
————————————————————
researcher Ben Phillips has been undertaking experiments to evaluate the impact of insect biodiversity on pollination in agricultural landscapes. Find out more here… (http://www.brc.ac.uk/wessexbess/node/28)

** Improving Salt Marsh Carbon Stock Measurements
————————————————————
have sent out an appeal for ‘citizen scientists’ to help collect information about our salt marshes to fill in important data gaps.

With the aid of The Saltmarsh App interested individuals and groups can investigate the salt marshes identifying unique plants and wildlife or carry out an interactive plant and soil survey.

The survey will estimate the stored carbon in the saltmarsh soil and show how by preventing this carbon from becoming a greenhouse gas their marsh is helping limit climate change. Find out more here… (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2016/04/25/cbess-the-saltmarsh-app/)

The App data will complement the Carbon Stock Prediction Tool and maps to be launched in June. The Tool is aimed at environmental decision makers in the public sector providing them with a straightforward means of attaching a carbon stock value to salt marshes in England and Wales. Find out more here… (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2016/04/22/bangor-university-the-carbon-prediction-tool/)

** Latest Publications
————————————————————
have published their findings on the impact of data resolution and scale on ecosystem service measurements. Access their paper in Landscape Ecologyhere… (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10980-015-0337-7)

research findings on the benefits or tree planting for riverine resilience is available here (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.13103/full) in Global Change Biology.

** Next Issue
————————————————————
Despite the current blizzards in Yorkshire – summer IS coming. BESS research will continue to deliver new insights in the links between biodiversity and ecosystem services…

http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** Upcoming Events

————————————————————
The
Welcome Trust are looking for ambassadors to kickstart conversations around our food, our health and our planet. You can find out more here… (https://thecrunch.wellcome.ac.uk/get-involved/ambassadors)

The Valuing Nature Programme is running a three-day Business Impact School to provide early career researchers with an opportunity to gain insight into producing research with business impact. Closing date is 5 February, 2016. Apply here… (https://ceh-online-surveys.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/business-impact-school-application-form)

** What is the evidence for benefits from increasing biodiversity in urban areas?
————————————————————
have produced a great video highlighting the contribution their research has made to understanding this important question. To watch – click the image below…
https://videolibrary.sheffield.ac.uk/player?autostart=n&fullscreen=y&width=320&height=260&videoId=8900&quality=hi&captions=n&chapterId=0

These findings link to a new initiative transforming urban sites into 200 hectares of habitat for pollinating insects. To find out more visit the Urban Buzz site here… (https://www.buglife.org.uk/urban-buzz)

** Recent publications from BESS research have provided exciting new evidence from different environments on how biodiversity and species richness deliver important ecosystem services.

What is the Importance of species diversity for human wellbeing?
————————————————————
This has been addressed by the http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/paper-likeability-of-garden-birds/ team in a paper examining the evidence looking at garden birds. Read a summary here (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/120-the-garden-bird-feeder-virtuous-circle) or to download the PLOS One paper here (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0141505) …

** What contribution does plant diversity provide to erosion protection in wetlands?
————————————————————
researchers have published findings which demonstrates the link between biodiversity and erosion protection for one of the first times in a natural ecosystem setting. Read a summary here (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2016/01/13/bangor-university-shoreline-resistance-to-erosion/) or to get the Journal of Vegetation Science paper her (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12367/abstract) e.. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12367/abstract) . (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.12367/abstract)

** Time series data providing new insights on environmental change in the UK
————————————————————

** Warning signs of UK biodiversity declines
————————————————————
A new analysis of trends in UK biodiversity records have highlighted worrying trends. Tom Oliver (http://www.brc.ac.uk/user/tom-oliver) from commented “The picture that emerges is of an increasingly fragile system, particularly in species that do vital jobs for humans. Unless efforts are made to reverse some of these declines, we face a future where we will be less confident that we can effectively grow our food.”

Read a summary of the analysis here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/178-biggest-analysis-of-british-nature-ever-rings-alarm-bells) or get the Nature Communications paper here… (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/151208/ncomms10122/full/ncomms10122.html)

Meanwhile T-BESS (Temporal variation in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/research/162-temporal-variation-in-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-service-delivery-in-grasslands-t-bess) revisited sites around Sheffield first surveyed in the 1960s to investigate biodiversity changes. Their in-depth findings support the Wessex-BESS evidence of worrying declines linked to land management, climate change, air pollution and grazing. Read more here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/235-50-years-of-change-in-the-sheffield-region)

** Important scale effects for ecosystem models revealed
————————————————————
The best scale to use for modelling depends heavily on what kind of question or system is being investigated as well as the character of the underlying landscape. A new paper in Landscape Ecology from the team highlights this issue and the critical effects it can have on results. Read a summary (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/218-determining-the-importance-of-scale-when-modelling-ecosystem-services-in-urban-areas) or access the full paper… (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10980-015-0337-7)

** Engaging the Public
————————————————————
engaged with the public about current research as part of the The Dundee Science Festival. The team demonstrated the power of salt marshes as flood defences using a Lego saltmarsh and salt marsh plants. To find out more click here… (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2015/11/20/university-of-st-andrews-mud-to-mammals/)

**
————————————————————

** Next Issue
————————————————————
Spring will be in the air once more – and BESS Connect will continue to synthesize the key findings emerging from BESS research.

http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** Upcoming Events

————————————————————
CBESS will be at the Dundee Science Festival on Thurs 12 Nov at Menzieshill Community Centre,DD2 4BH from 13:00. You’ll have the chance to build a lego saltmarsh and understand the power of plant roots. #DSciFest

Registration is now open for three NERC Advanced Training Courses (http://www.mathstat.strath.ac.uk/outreach/cpd/index.php) on state-of-the art aspects of mathematical and statistical modelling running at the University of Strathclyde.

PhD Vacancy (http://www.marine-ecosystems.org.uk/News_events/Jobs/Modelling_the_impact_of_marine_reserves_and_wind-f)
Closing date: 16 November 2015
A a fully funded 3-year PhD project available to start immediately. The general subject area is spatial population dynamics modelling of size-structured marine benthic invertebrates with a passive drifting planktonic life-stage. The project is related to the MERP size-structured modelling activity, but independently funded.

** Science Meeting Special… All Aboard!!
————————————————————
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt8ha7oy8gY&feature=youtu.be
Dominque Butt of NERC reflects on the Science Meeting and the challenges for BESS science when influencing policy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqH2CfysBWY&feature=youtu.be
Joe Morris from Cranfield talks about the value of BESS multidisciplinary research and the impact that project findings can have on stakeholders application of ecosystem services.

The BESS Directorate will be looking at all the presentations and discussions from the October meeting to synthesize where the programmes research is contributing to the science and policy debates. Look out for more news in the next newsletter.

** What was the story of the meeting?
For an overview of the meetings themes – and to see what issues were discussed click here… (https://storify.com/s_cinderby_SEI/ecosystem-services-science-into-policy)
————————————————————

** Managing ecosystems for predictable outcomes may backfire, new study warns
————————————————————
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concludes that managing ecosystems for predictable outcomes is risky and liable to result in ultimately unwanted outcomes. Co-author Carl Folke (http://stockholmresilience.org/21/contact/staff/1-15-2008-folke.html) explains: “Command-and-control management of ecosystems might make flows of ecosystem services predictable in the short term, but unpredictable and less resilient in the long term.”

To read more and request the publication click here… (http://stockholmresilience.org/21/research/research-news/10-7-2015-dont-fence-me-in.html?utm_source=Stockholm+Resilience+Centre+newsletter&utm_campaign=aa8b6e8895-Newsletter_September_20148_26_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_216dc1ed23-aa8b6e8895-91800241)

** EU falling short on Biodeiversity and Ecosystem Services Targets
————————————————————
A mid-term review of Europe’s progress towards its 2020 targets; makes for disheartening reading. Overall, biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU have continued since the EU 2010 biodiversity baseline, as confirmed by the 2015 European environment state and outlook report… (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/pdf/mid_term_review_summary.pdf) http://biodiversity.europa.eu/policy/biodiversity-strategy-plan

** Upland Futures…?
————————————————————

** has launched a new report providing contrasting visions for policy makers, land managers and society of how the UK’s uplands could develop over the next 30-40 years. Download here… (http://nerc-duress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Upland-Scenarios-Report-for-Email.pdf)
————————————————————

**
Latest BESS research throws light on the resilience of ecosystem functions
————————————————————
New publications from BESS-funded authors contribute to a better understanding of the extent to which ecosystem functions can resist or recover from environmental change. Read more here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/114-latest-bess-research-throws-more-light-on-the-resilience-of-ecosystem-functions)

** Urban BESS Annual Meadows Nominated for Luton Community Awards
————————————————————
On Friday 23rd October 2015 the project reached the final 3 out of 15 nominees in the ‘Community business’ category.Helen Hoyle (https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/landscape/2.7223/2.5725/hhoyle) from Sheffield accepted the award on behalf of the team. To read more click here… (https://nercbess.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/urban-bess-annual-meadows-nominated-for-luton-community-awards/)
With research coming to an end in 2015 they are holding an event to share the outputs of the project and their value to policy and practice. Book here (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/duress-ecosystem-services-project-lessons-learned-tickets-19182427156?ref=ebtnebregn) to join them on December 1st in Cardiff Bay.

**
————————————————————

** Next Issue
————————————————————
Winter will be with us and whilst wrapped up and sipping mulled wine BESS will present synthesized findings from the Science Meeting…

http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

**
————————————————————
Ecosystem resilience concepts… what do they offer BESS research? This was one of the issues addressed at a workshop in June – read the meeting findings and outcomes here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/220-report-bess-resilience-workshop-2015)
The workshop findings have links to a recent paper (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169534714002456) from ‘Trends in Evolution Ecology’ (http://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/home) that highlighted fifteen distinct biodiversity trends and summarized critical key knowledge gaps.

** Artists Interpretations of BESS Science
CBESS researchers have been collaborating with artists to explore alternative ways of communicating BESS findings. Iris Möller (http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/salt-marsh-plants-key-to-reducing-coastal-erosion-and-flooding) (Cambridge Coastal Research Unit) talked about ‘living on the edge’ alongside artist Sue Rapley (http://www.suerapley.co.uk/blog/pint-of-science-creative-reactions-2015.html) . Meanwhile Lydia Bach (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-students/lydia-bach/) has been working with artists (http://the-paper-makers.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html) to explore the links between her work on coastal ecology and communicating climate change stories.
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** PhD Update
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University of York PhD student Sian de Bell has been describing her ongoing work
riverine ecological restoration (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/76-assessing-the-multiple-benefits-of-river-restoration) .

** BESS research highlighting the importance of invertebrates
————————————————————
and researchers have been investigating the role of invertebrates on pollination and pest control for their two target landscapes; multi-functional lowlands (http://www.brc.ac.uk/wessexbess/node/28) and urban areas (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/one-small-millipede-for-milton-keynes/) . This has included looking at the impact changing planting has on winter survival rates (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/where-do-the-bugs-go-in-winter/) of these mini-beasts.

** Volunteers Needed!!
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**
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The BESS Committee are looking for volunteers! Are you interested in outreach, communications or event planning?If so visit the NRG BESS website for more details (http://www.nrgbess.net/nrg-bess-committee-are-looking-for-volunteers/) .

** Ongoing Salt March Sampling
————————————————————
researchers are
continuing to sample salt marshes (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2015/07/24/bangor-university-inter-project-fieldwork/) . Importantly they are also transferring their field research skills to a new cohort of PhD students to ensure a BESS skills legacy.

**
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** Next Issue
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Autumn will be with us one more and BESS will concentrate on synthesizing key findings… Stay Connected to get all the latest news.

http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** Upcoming Events
————————————————————
Are ecosystem services academic? 7-8th July, 2015 at the University of Southampton.
This two-day conference (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/are-ecosystem-services-academic-tickets-16215794879) aims to offer a dialogue between academic ecologists, economists and end-users of ecosystem service assessments.

BESS Workshop on Resilience 18-19 June 2015 at Charles Darwin House, London
2 day workshop (http://www.nerc-bess.net/documents/Resilience_BESS_workshop.pdf) will explore ways of rigorously defining and measuring resilience in systems and establish to produce collaborative publications in this area. The workshop is open to individuals working on a BESS project.

Stormy geomorphology: geomorphic contributions in an age of extremes – an international scientific meeting Monday 11 May 2015 (9.00am-5.30pm) at RGS, London
Global state-of-the-art understanding of geomorphic contributions to extreme events will be presented as a one-day conference (http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Advocacy+and+Policy/Environment+and+Society+Forum/Stormy+geomorphology) .

** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrAReYh9328&feature=youtu.be
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Dr Alison Dyke (http://www.york.ac.uk/sei/staff/alison-dyke/) from the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) (http://www.opalexplorenature.org/aboutopal) programme talks about how to utilise citizen science approaches to investigate bio-security.

** Inspiring, informing and educating!
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BESS researchers have been getting their research to new audiences through a variety of national and international events.

Hundreds of children and their families enjoyed learning about the benefits we get from nature during the BESS ‘love your saltmarsh’ and ‘be a bee’ activities as part of British Science Week, read more here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/211-impact-bess-buzzing-and-making-waves-at-british-science-week)

delivered their second NERC funded training course (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2015/02/27/besa-2015-post-graduate-training-in-morecambe-bay/) on biodiversity and ecosystem assessment in the coastal margin. They have also been talking all things mudflats at science festivals in Bangor (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2015/03/16/bangor-university-hidden-worlds/) and St. Andrews (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2015/03/09/university-of-st-andrews-science-discovery-day-2015-2/) and with the BBC’s Science Cafe (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00848zw) .

organised a session at the ASLO Aquatic Sciences (http://sgmeet.com/aslo/granada2015/) conference in Granada on “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Freshwater Ecosystems, a south north perspective” (http://nerc-duress.org/news)

** New insights on food webs…
————————————————————
have been investigating the diversity of food webs in streams crossing different intensities of land use. Their methods and initial findings are described here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/29-investigating-freshwater-food-webs)
have been undertaking comparable research – but for mudflats. Read how food dynamics in these landscapes change across seasons here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/13-changing-mudflat-foodwebs)

** BESS research providing evidence on the ecosystem approach
————————————————————
Natural England have recently published nine evidence summaries about the ‘Natural Environment’ naming BESS research as a key source for evidence. You can find out more on the summaries here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/207-bess-research-contributing-to-evidence-about-the-ecosystem-approach)

Elsewhere have been participating in a series of four workshops to develop a methodology for producing robust indicators of the resilience of ecosystem functions to address decision making needs. Find out more here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/18-developing-indicators-of-resilience-for-ecosystem-functions-provided-by-species)

**
Does Open Source software offer ecosystem service scientists new opportunities?
————————————————————
Innovative new software packages developed using open source are enabling cheaper ways of analyzing scientific datasets. In a recent blog a PhD student reflects on how this access to software is changing how they undertake their research…. (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-blogs/anecdotes/)

**
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** It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it (in 140 characters or less)
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The directorate has put together a set of useful hints and tips (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/bess-blog/post/37-bess-twitter-tips) from the BESS engagement advisors and BESS researchers on how to get the most from twitter.

**
Have you put natural capital at the heart of decision making…?
————————————————————
Organisers of the second World Forum on Natural Capital (http://www.naturalcapitalforum.com/) , which will take place in Edinburgh, United Kingdom on
23–24 November 2015, have issued a call for case studies (http://www.naturalcapitalforum.com/blog/blog/258/Call-for-ground-breaking-case-studies) that demonstrate how putting natural capital at the heart of decision-making can benefit the bottom line, as well as the natural environment.

** Nexus thinking…
————————————————————
How can we bring together our Ecosystem Service approaches to the major challenges of ensuring sustainable food, water and energy supplies and a healthy environment? The Nexus Network (http://www.thenexusnetwork.org/) has published the first thinkpieces (http://www.thenexusnetwork.org/thinkpieces-published/) from their commissioned series that aims to consider these problems from a fresh perspective.

**
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** Next Issue
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Summer will start to see the major outputs from BESS research emerging… stay Connected to get all the latest news.

http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** UK landscapes under pressure…
————————————————————
A new report from the Natural Capital Committee (https://www.naturalcapitalcommittee.org/home.html) highlights the decline of England’s natural capital – the elements of nature providing services such as food, clean water and recreation that we rely on. Read more here… (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/200-report-from-natural-capital-committee-protecting-and-improving-natural-capital-for-prosperity-and-wellbeing)

BESS Consortia are providing valuable insight into the connections between biodiversity and the services different landscapes provide to help halt this decline. For example, working in urban areas have been investigating the well-being and wildlife benefits green-spaces can bring.
They have been asking residents their preferences for different habitats (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/aesthetics-biodiversity-and-clipboards/) including experimental meadow plots. By collecting data on insect numbers and species (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/do-you-like-what-insects-like/) from these same green-spaces the researchers can compare peoples preferences for planting to those of insects to see whether they match up. Alongside the questionnaire responses and surveys the team have also been actively measuring the environment (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/is-it-the-bbc-no-its-the-backpack/) using backpack mounted sensors to evaluate the experience of different types of urban spaces.

This combination of approaches and the rich understanding it provides is the kind of data the Committee says we need to improve our future natural capital management (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/200-report-from-natural-capital-committee-protecting-and-improving-natural-capital-for-prosperity-and-wellbeing) .

** New hi-tech mapping approaches providing valuable new information
————————————————————
BESS consortia have been experimenting with new high resolution laser surveying approaches to get a better understanding of landscapes structure and functioning.
http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/ have been using a laser scanner (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/lasers-in-the-garden-and-in-the-air/) in the back gardens of Luton to accurately (and non-destructively) measure the vegetation canopy. Meanwhile have been using similar technology on salt marshes (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/news/progress-report/bangor-3d-scan-of-a-saltmarsh/) producing detailed information of the terrain as shown in this video…
http://youtu.be/Q_wHRNc9XKY
These experimental approaches are allowing the teams to understand how these landscapes function and could be used to provide high resolution environmental monitoring.

** From data to understanding?
————————————————————
The BESS researchers have been collecting large amounts of new information on ecosystems, biodiversity and the services they provide over the past two years. But how can all this data be combined to improve our understanding at the landscape scale decision makers often work at? This was the challenge tackled at their annual science meeting. Read more here… (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/news/progress-report/cbess-annual-science-meeting-2015/)

**
Does enhancing biodiversity increase carbon storage?
————————————————————
have been investigating this question on the Salisbury Plains grasslands using experimental plots treated to encourage different levels of biodiversity. This season the team will also be experimenting with changing the climatic conditions to mimic IPCC (http://www.ipcc.ch/) scenarios of our future rainfall patterns. Click here (http://www.brc.ac.uk/wessexbess/node/25) to read their findings on whether biodiversity richness influences carbon storage.

** New evidence on the ecosystem service trade-offs for development?
————————————————————
An interesting new paper (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10113-014-0748-z) led by Md Sarwar Hossain (http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Md_Sarwar_Hossain/publications) published in Regional Environmental Change (http://link.springer.com/journal/10113) uses time series data from Bangladesh to investigate the interaction of development, ecosystem services and human well-being.

**
It’s not what you say but how you say it…
————————————————————
How can we communicate concepts like biodiversity and ecosystem services to different audiences?
A new report (http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/news-and-events/195-new-report-it-s-not-what-you-say-but-how-you-say-it) from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (http://www.cieem.net/) provides some interesting insights for researchers.

** Don’t forget the insects!
————————————————————
BESS is all about crossing decision making scales so whilst some researchers consider landscapes other consortium members have been zooming in to better understand the role of insects in different habitats. have been looking at the interactions of salt marsh salinity and vegetation on beetle and spider populations (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/news/progress-report/bangor-beetles-and-spiders/) . Meanwhile have been investigating urban insects to better understand their function in our cities greens-spaces (http://bess-urban.group.shef.ac.uk/the-three-ps-tillids-sillids-and-sockids/) . This work links to new findings on the rapid expansion of tree bumblebees range in UK conurbations (recently published in PLoS One (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0107568#pone-0107568-g003) ) as they exploit untapped foraging sites and the role that landscape management could have on supporting pollinator populations.

** Plan for the future
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The BESS network of early career researchers have been busy planning the future of the group and appointing new officers. Read the latest news on the appointments and updates of NRG activities here… (http://www.nrgbess.net/news/)

**
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** Next Issue
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Spring will be in the air and we will bring you news of the latest BESS field campaigns…

http://www.twitter.com/nercbess
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nercbess)
http://www.nerc-bess.net/
Website (http://www.nerc-bess.net/)
Our landscapes need to be managed appropriately to ensure the sustainable delivery of benefits to society such as clean water, food production and flood protection. Currently we do not truly understand the linkages between biodiversity within landscapes and services flows. Without this knowledge we are managing our landscapes under great uncertainty.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) is a six-year (2011-2017) NERC research programme, designed to reduce that uncertainty. It will answer fundamental questions about the functional role of biodiversity in key ecosystem processes at the landscape scale and how these are likely to change in an uncertain future.

Our aim is to provide an improved evidence base for those managing our landscapes so they are in a much better position to make decisions about the inevitable trade-offs required to ensure our sustainable futures.

** The latest updates from the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Sustainability programme
————————————————————
http://youtu.be/rDnwa0jUN2Y
Laura Harrison (BESS Engagement Officer) talks about the exciting development of the programmes Early Career Researchers Network (http://www.nrgbess.net/)

** BESS experiments yielding valuable new data
————————————————————
Over the summer field season the BESS consortia experiments have been delivering valuable information on different aspects of ecosystems services and their relationships to biodiversity.
The Eddy Covariance team (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/science/progress-report/university-of-st-andrews/) at the University of St Andrews have had a busy summer collecting CO2 flux data to better understand the response of saltmarsh vegetation to different light levels. Read more here. (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/fieldwork-update-from-the-eddy-covariance-team/)

Meanwhile, large artificial habitat experiments have been investigating a variety of land management scenario effects on ecosystem functions.
The team have been hard at work extracting dissolved organic carbon data from their artificial upland cascading channels (http://nerc-duress.org/?p=2247) in a mammoth 24 hour –fifteen person combined effort.
The members of the Cambridge Coastal Research Unit (http://www.ccru.geog.cam.ac.uk/) , together with a team of researchers from Germany and the Netherlands, have conducted the largest-ever laboratory experiment to investigate how waves are dissipated by coastal salt marshes during storms. Click here for the update (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/largest-ever-saltmarsh-flume-experiment/) by Iris Möller (http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/people/moeller/) .

** Why BESS findings are important for policy…
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A recent journal paper in Bioscience (http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/) led by Patricia Balvanera (http://ww2.oikos.unam.mx/CIEco/comunidades/) (available here (http://bio.wits.ac.za/APES7000_2014/Mograbi/Papers/Balvanera%20et%20al%202014%20BioScience.pdf) ) highlights the gaps in our understanding of the interactions between biodiversity and ecosystem services that the BESS programme is contributing towards filling. The authors stress the need for better information – but under realistic land management scenarios – to inform theIntergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (http://ipbes.net/about-ipbes.html) policy processes.

An example of the contribution BESS is making is given by the team who have been undertaking cutting-edge science on ecosystem services on Welsh rivers helping to reveal how biodiversity keeps rivers running in more ways than one… read more here (https://storify.com/SteveOrmerod/cutting-edge-science-on-river-ecosystem-services?utm_content=storify-pingback&awesm=sfy.co_jw9B&utm_source=t.co&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=sfy.co-twitter)

** Farming and flourishing wildlifehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2wMk1s4dyc
————————————————————
a three year project whose mission is to transform the river Torridge catchment for wildlife and people have produced a
film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2wMk1s4dyc) with local farmers explaining how the NIA is helping them to manage their land in more wildlife friendly ways and the additional benefits of this change (including economic) they perceive. To find out more about the project click here (http://www.northerndevonnia.org/) .

** New BESS Reports on the importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services
————————————————————
have begun publishing
findings (http://www.brc.ac.uk/wessexbess/sites/www.brc.ac.uk.wessexbess/files/cultural%20benefits%20of%20biodiversity%20workshop%20full%20report.pdf) from their engagement activities aimed at identifying indicators to measure the linkages between biodiversity and cultural ecosystem services. A summary of their most recent workshop with nature-sector professional stakeholders can be found here (http://www.brc.ac.uk/wessexbess/sites/www.brc.ac.uk.wessexbess/files/EKN%20CES%20biod%20indicators%20workshop%20summary.pdf) .

**
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**
BESS PhD Updates
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Our BESS Next Generation Researchers have been updating their Blogs and webpages. Lydia Bach (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-students/lydia-bach/) provides news (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-students/lydia-bach/cbess-field-campaign-backlog-and-new-sites/) on how her work on food webs in inter-tidal coastal areas is progressing. Cai Ladd (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-students/cai-ladd/) talks about his experiences (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-students/cai-ladd/anecdotes/) researching the ecological resilience of saltmarshes. James Tempest (http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/managment/phd-students/james-tempest/) describes how his work will improve our understanding of the wave and tidal flow reduction caused by saltmarsh vegetation.

** Stakeholders admire new exhibition
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Cardiff University hosted an exhibition of high quality artistic photographs and 3D videos of future land use scenarios. Stakeholders from policymaking, NGOs and industry representatives were treated to a preview of the exhibition that will tour the country in the coming months. Check the website (http://nerc-duress.org/) for details…

** Calls for better information about the forest–agriculture interface to aid development
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The Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation Programme (http://www.espa.ac.uk/) report on an interview (http://www.trust.org/item/20140923051919-nph7j/) with Cheryl Palm (http://agriculture.columbia.edu/about-us/people-at-agcenter/full_time_staff/cpalm/) , a Senior Research Scientist and Director of Research at the Agriculture and Food Security Center at Columbia University (http://agriculture.columbia.edu/) – where she highlights that there have been very few measurements taken on the different ecosystem services and their connections at the forest-agriculture divide. This could be crucial for delivering some of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300) .

**
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** Next Issue
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All the latest BESS news including our most up-to-date findings…